New shadow
by Nutcase friend
Summary: Spoilers! For people who have read the whole series. It is based around the time of the sixth book, but the storyline is different. After another mystery solved, Valkyrie and Skullduggery arrive at Skullduggery's home, to discover an old friend of Skullduggery's. She is amazing at everything and more. Valkyrie is afraid she will now be Skullduggery's second best.
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! I am sorry if i spell things wrong in this, or say weird stuff and...stuff. yeah. I do not own most of the characters, but some of them i do. you'll probably figure out which ones. Please reveiw!

* * *

Valkyrie's laughter died when she saw the figure standing in the room. Valkyrie didn't like it when people randomly turned up, especially in Skullduggery's home. Skullduggery walked in after Valkyrie. There was a long pause, a pause that Valkyrie knew this was between two people who had history.

"Valkyrie, go read in one of the studies will you." Skullduggery said. Valkyrie looked at him, then turned and glared at the figure. Tall, like Tanith kind of tall. Long dark green trench coat, long brown hair, dark blue eyes, a scar along the right jawbone, cool comfy looking boots, a choker necklace that was brown leather. And cold. Cold glare, cold way they stood simply there, not moving except the ever so slight movement of the chest as they breathed.

"Who is she?" Valkyrie asked.

"None of your business, that's who." The girl said. Her voice was cold as well. She was possibly the same age as Valkyrie, but that stare just made Valkyrie want to shrink away. She hadn't felt this kind of shivering fear in a while.

"Don't be rude. This is my partner." Skullduggery said, still not moving, "Who is going to go read in the study. Valkyrie, go."

"Who is she?" Valkyrie asked again.

"I already told you. This has nothing to do with you. I came here to catch Skull alone. I didn't realize he'd tag the annoying brat with him. Now do what dear Skull tells you and go away." That voice. She hadn't even looked away. Valkyrie wanted to hit her, but had a feeling this girl would see it coming. So Valkyrie reluctantly did as she was told and went to the room over. She closed the door behind her, but immediately put her ear to the door.

"Nice try brat. I can see your feet shadow." Valkyrie huffed in annoyance, then went to the room furthest from where Skullduggery and new girl was. If she couldn't hear what they were saying, then she wanted to be as far from them as possible.

"Sophia." Skullduggery said, in the voice that was so familiar. "Why are you here? I couldn't find you." He said, stepping closer. She looked at him, the gaze freezing him in his tracks. She had a way of doing that to people, like a snake hypnotizing you to do her will.

"You wouldn't have wanted to find me, Skull. I was a wreck. I was filled with probably more hatred then you. But I'm not here about that."

"Then why are you here? I'm dying to ask where you've been." The joke sunk in immediately, and she struggled not to smile. "We missed you."

"Well I sure to hell missed all you." There it was. It was coming back. Her old self. That old, always laughing, never upset self. Maybe seeing Skullduggery had brought it back. Maybe her old personality had hidden within his bones, and with her around, were returning to her. "I'm here to warn you. I know you know about Darquesse."

"Too much unfortunately." Skullduggery said, leaning against one of the chairs. Sophia raised an eyebrow.

"It's the girl isn't it?" Skullduggery tilted his head.

"I hate it when you do that."

"Do what? Know you too well? I was very good at avoiding your trouble for a reason Skull."

"You were mostly the reason I lived through a lot of that trouble." He admitted.

"Back to the point. Vince is planning something." Sophia's cold self was back, and Skullduggery just wanted to hit something. Where the devil had she been?! Being his partner for so many years, then as soon as she does something accidently wrong, runs off, then turning up again to warn him.

"I thought you were dead." Skullduggery stated.

"Everyone did. That was the point."

'Why?"

"You know bloody well why, Skull."

"It wasn't your fault what happened."

"Yeah nice one Skull. It's not that easy." Skullduggery sighed, besides the lack of breath his skeleton body possessed.

"So Vince is up to something?" Skullduggery asked, deciding to leave the other conversation in the past.

"Yup. Word is he's attempting to destroy all the prisons walls in the world. How long did it take you to put most of those people in their cells, Skull? A couple of years each? How about if all of them were out?"

"Why are you warning me of this? Of all the things you could have warned me about, it's this."

"Because Maurice is going to be let out with them." Skullduggery stared at her, then flipped out his phone.

"Skullduggery, is anything wrong?" Ghastly asked from the other end.

"My house. Now." End of phone call. Skullduggery sat down on one of the chairs. "But Sophia, seriously. Where…have…you…been?"

"Around. After what happened, I just ran off. You got a new partner hey?" Skullduggery knew that it hurt her. Knew that it hurt to see someone else working with him and not her. Besides, she had been the best of all his partners. Valkyrie must never know that, Skullduggery decided. Must never know how brilliant Sophia had been.

"Valkyrie." Skullduggery said, putting his hat on the arm of the chair. "Probably the most brilliant student I've ever had."

"Don't try and lie Skull. I know I was the best." Sophia said, a sneer on her lips.

"Well let's say she's better at Necromancy than you."

"You hate Necromancy." Sophia said with a laugh. "Even the partner before her, he didn't have much knack for much as getting in the way. Valkyrie at least seems useful. Although I still don't like her." Sophia said, flicking her head towards the door Valkyrie had disappeared behind.

"This unsettles me." Skullduggery said simply. "You were always a good judge of character."

"she's selfish. I heard about the Fletcher boy. And that Vampire. Now she's after a bad man's son. What next, Skull? Making off with a werewolf. And she focuses her energy on two forms of elemental. Just two. She's split her life in two. Getting jealous about how much her reflection is spending time with her little sister, when she's just not around because she's the one with two lives. Not being there when her Mother got beat up, not being there for a lot of things." Skullduggery knew there was another meaning behind that whole speech. He waited for it to click.  
Click.

"People can find all this, can't they?" Skullduggery said.

"Skull, if I can find all that about her in a matter of a day, her enemies will know her whole life story. Including that she is Ancient blood. Oh yes Skull, I know about that too." Skullduggery stared at Sophia. There was a moment before she smiled.

"You know that Ghastly isn't going to let you walk away after he gets here." Skullduggery said to her.

"I don't need to be told that. I know."

"He might just cry."

"He might just."


	2. Chapter 2 Bloody Skullduggery

So I hope you guys liked the first chapter. this was all dedicated to a certain amazing Paparoni. Long live the Papa's!

* * *

Bloody Skullduggery. Why did he always do this? Not even giving an explanation as to why ghastly had to leave in the middle of filing evidence. Ghastly really wanted to think it had been so important that he had to file the files, but the escape was relieving. But something inside Ghastly had gone cold. Skullduggery had seem disturbed. The taunting jokes had not been there in the three word conversation. Conversation. Bit of an over statement. More like a command. The van pulled up outside Skullduggery's house, and Ghastly got out, ignoring the fact that three cleavers trailed behind him like grey dogs. When Ghastly raised his hand to knock, the door opened before he even touched it. He took a few steps in, seeing Skullduggery standing in the middle of the room. Then who opened…the door slammed shut behind him, locking the cleavers outside. Ghastly whirled to see the girl with a triumphant sneer on her face and standing near the door. Ghastly knew that the cleavers were about to break down the door if he didn't open it in about three seconds. He leaped for the door, the girl stepping away from him, trench coat moving as if it was in slow motion. Ghastly opened the door just in time. The cleavers were poised to break down the door, but stood up straight as Ghastly smiled at them.

"It's alright. Just a prank. Just guard out here." Ghastly said, and they nodded, positioning themselves in front of the house and facing the direction any threat might come from. Ghastly closed the door again and whirled on the girl.

"What was that stunt meant to do?" He growled, confusion and anger clouding his mind. It took a sneer from the girl, and a few good long seconds for him to realize who it was. "Sophia?" He could feel the tears prick his eyes. She grinned and said,

"I just wanted to give you a little shock is all."

"You gave me a little shock alright." Ghastly said in almost a whisper. He would have hugged her, but she wasn't one to be into that. "Where's Valkyrie?" He decided to ask, steering away from the shock. Bad move.

"Away from here, that's all that's important." Sophia said. Annoyance, jealousy, anger, all flashed in her eyes. Ghastly realized he'd said the wrong thing. Here Sophia was, after probably more than a hundred years and all Ghastly could do is ask where Valkyrie was. Ghastly could have face palmed.

"Valkyrie's in another study. Ghastly, Sophia had some very intriguing information I believe she wants to share with you." Skullduggery said.

"Naturally. After a hundred years, you just popped by to give me some news. And what's with Valkyrie being in another room." Ghastly said.

"Sophia doesn't like her." Skullduggery said.

"No, you misunderstood me. I absolutely love the selfish bitch." Sophia said, grinning and battering her eyelids, laughing a little. A big difference between Sophia and Valkyrie. Sophia actually laughed when she was being sarcastic. Ghastly sat on one of the chairs, listening to what Sophia had learned in her years of tracking people and information. The only thing Sophia had in common was quite a big thing. She could get information very easily. Ghastly couldn't stop staring. She was alive, almost unbelievably. Being friends with recklessness and having been influenced by Skullduggery years ago didn't do well for your health. Ghastly knew. He'd been an ornamental stature for two years straight after being caught in Skullduggery business, and not for the first or last time. But here Sophia was, sneering, laughing, pretty much her old self. But she was being careful. Not revealing too much of her old self, not letting her guard down.

"So how does Vince plan on doing this?" Ghastly asked.

"He's a big Faceless Fan, and there isn't a shortage of those around the place. Probably gonna get his church buddies to hook up all over the world." She said, sitting back comfortably and casually.

"Yeah, but how are they going to break down the walls?"

"My guess, that they let the prisoners do that themselves." There was a pause. She like this, playing the knowledgeable one.

"The magic bonds." Skullduggery said quietly, more to himself. Sophia nodded with a smirk.

"Took ya long enough."

Valkyrie tried to move as silently as possible as she crossed the room. She was sick of waiting. Sick of sitting back and knowing Skullduggery was probably either in trouble or having a great time without her. She reached the door she'd left the main room from, the other side was where voices filtered from. To her surprise, she heard Ghastly's voice among them. Valkyrie pressed her ear to the door and waited.

Sophia's eyes suddenly snapped to the door that Valkyrie had disappeared behind Her nose twitched, and her ears did as well. She saw the shadow beneath the door.

"Dear Valkyrie, don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop." Sophia said. Skullduggery and Ghastly stopped mid-conversation, and watched as Sophia flicked her hand, the door opening, and reveling Valkyrie standing there with a red face.

"How did you know I was there?" Valkyrie asked, walking in and glaring at the girl. The girl was just as cold as she'd ever been when she said,

"No one else in this room wears Rexona for women Deodorant." Valkyrie looked at Skullduggery.

"What does she want? Who is she? Why am I not allowed to know? And why does she hate me?"

"Which of those questions do you want answered first?" Skullduggery said.

"All of them!"

"She's not too bright, is she?" The girl said, examining a cut among her strong fingers.

"Sophia, please." Skullduggery said smoothly, raising his hand to the girl. "Valkyrie, this is Sophia, an old…"

"Enemy? Good. Can we beat her up now?" Valkyrie said, cutting him off.

"Friend." Ghastly stated. Awkward pause.

"Oh." Valkyrie blinked. Sophia was lounging in one of the small couches as if she belonged here. She did seem to belong here, by the way Ghastly and Skullduggery lounged just like her. All were people of minimal amount of stress. And that cold stare only seemed to be reserved for Valkyrie, who got the same look as Sophia looked at her now.

"Yes. Friend. What do I want? Skull alive. Who am I? I am who I am. Deal with it," Ghastly choked on a laugh, and Valkyrie glared, then turned it back onto Sophia, "Why are you not allowed to know? Because I don't like you. Why do I hate you? Because I can." Sophia said this all in a matter-of-fact manner, not faltering her cold stare from Valkyrie.

"Those aren't real answers." Valkyrie said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yes they are. A simple answer of 'because' wouldn't be a real answer." Sophia said, clearly trying not to laugh. Valkyrie glared further, but the amusement that had been in Sophia's eyes for a moment, were gone, replaced by the ice again. Valkyrie had to look away.

"There you go." Skullduggery said. "Now, back to topic. You think they'll hit London first?" Skullduggery said, leaning an arm of the top of the couch. Valkyrie stayed standing, arms crossed now.

Sophia paid no attention to the agitated little agitation standing near her. _I really was Skullduggery's only half decent partner. _

"Of course they will. Vince will want Maurice out first."

"They have the combined power to destroy the city of London." Ghastly said in a strained voice.

"Ghastly, I don't need to be reminded of that right now." Sophia stated, and Ghastly hung his head.

"What we need to do is make sure that the binders of magic need an upgrade." Skullduggery said.

"I would have asked China myself, but unfortunately you're not on speaking terms with her exactly." Sophia said with a laugh.

"Not exactly." Skullduggery said, and there was a small amount of humor in his voice.

Valkyrie almost looked at him completely shocked. Every time _she _mentioned China, he went cold and silent.

"Well, the next best things are the twins." Ghastly said. Sophia grinned widely.

"Oh yeah. Them."


	3. Chapter 3 You're a what!

"Sophia, you got a ride?" Skullduggery asks.

"Yup." She said, smirking. They walked out the back of the house, and there sat a new, sleek and silver car.

"What is it?" Valkyrie asked, realizing too late that Sophia was satisfied with her amazement. Valkyrie quickly put on her annoyed face again.

"It's a 2013 Porsche V-12, six cylinder, 3 liter engine, navigation, satellite imaging, blue-tooth, radio, (and is also tapped into the cop radio), and a bunch of other sick stuff, including cruise control." Sophia said proudly.

"I would have been happy with 'it's a Porsche,'" Valkyrie grumbled, as Ghastly whistled next to her.

"It's a lovely car." Skullduggery said.

"Are you kidding? It's sexy. I know, I know. You need to keep your classy style." She said, as Skullduggery shook his head at her sexy comment.

"Let me ask how you pay for it?" Ghastly said, raising an eyebrow. Sophia shrugged, looking innocently away, then climbed into her car.

"Come on." Skullduggery said, as they went to his Bentley, and Ghastly was 'escorted' back to the van. Skullduggery put the Bentley into gear and they raced away down the road. Not long after, they were overtaken by the Porsche, its sleek and beautiful form going past, and they saw an arm hanging out the window with music playing. Heavy metal. Valkyrie had to frown.

"Why does she think she's better than me?" Valkyrie asked, slumping in the chair of the Bentley.

"Because you've given her no other reason to think otherwise." Skullduggery said, and they followed after the Porsche.

When they pulled up outside the Sanctuary, Sophia was already there, leaning on the Porsche.

"Even the position of the sanctuary is no secret to you." Skullduggery said with a sigh, as Sophia grinned at him.

"You know me, Skull. Information floats towards me, so I don't have to go looking for It." she said. Ghastly joined them, so they went down into the Sanctuary. Skullduggery started talking to Ghastly, so Valkyrie was stuck in an awkward silence next to Sophia. She was about a head taller than Valkyrie, and it was unnerving. The smell of leather reminded Valkyrie of Tanith, the walk reminded her of Sanguine, her manner was Skullduggery and, but most of all Erskine. Sophia was a mix of all the people Valkyrie had met, good and bad. Her cold glare though, was something Valkyrie had never experienced. Valkyrie couldn't last it any longer.

"So why do you always call him Skull, and not Skullduggery?" she asked, as Sophia seemed to be in a good mood, her stroll was bouncy, and she was smiling. When she turned to Valkyrie, the cold glare was not there, but instead, she was considering whether to answer the question. She looked Valkyrie up and down, before shrugging and saying,

"When I was little, I couldn't say his name properly, so I just said Skull. It never went."

"Oh ok." Valkyrie said, and something about what Sophia had said bothered her. What was it? ….. …. "Wait, when you were little?"

"Yeah. I've been around more than Tanith has." Sophia said, deadpanning.

"What!? But you look my age." Valkyrie said, and all Sophia did was shrug.

"Sophia." Skullduggery said, and she walked forward. "I've still got your shiny shiny's."

"Actually!? Sick!" Sophia said, punching the air. "Me have back? Pwetty pwease?" she said, battering her eyelids.

"No, I'm going to keep your shiny's forever and you'll never see them again." Skullduggery said this as he opened a door to a room Valkyrie had never been in before. In the center, a glass case was the only thing in the room, with a light hanging above the case, glinting off the handles and barrels of two small revolvers.

"Wahoo!" Sophia yelled, as she ran forward and jumped from one foot to another as Skullduggery undid the lock and handed the two guns to Sophia. She twirled them like a professional, and set them into two holsters at her sides. She gave a satisfied sigh, patting her sides, and strolling out, in a better mood than before. Valkyrie whirled on Skullduggery.

"Why does she get cool weapons and I don't?" She asked, angry.

"Didn't you hear her? She's been around longer than Tanith. Apart from her extraordinary skills in magic, she needs some sort of weapon when in the war."

"She was in the war?" Skullduggery sighed.

"I don't think I should be telling you her past." Skullduggery said, and kept walking. Valkyrie had to stop in her tracks for a second, stared after him, and then followed again. Ghastly laughed heartily as Sophia kept flipping and twirling her revolvers in pure joy, her face lit up with a giant grin. Erskine Ravel approached, shock spreading on his face as he saw Sophia. She put away her revolvers and ran into his arms, and he picked her up and twirled her in the air, despite her size.

"Sophia." He simply said, and hugged her tightly after putting her down. Valkyrie frowned as she saw the tears of joy on Ravel's face. Skullduggery and Ghastly laughed, and Ghastly ruffled Sophia's hair.

"Ok, now you need to tell me the story of where you've been." Ravel said.

"Sorry, we're here on much more important matters." Sophia said, and Valkyrie rolled her eyes. Ravel laughed, and said,

"Typical. When, this is over, I need to hear the story." Ravel said.

"You're not the only one." Skullduggery said, humor in his voice.

"She even keeps secrets from you? This has to be interesting." Ravel stated.

"She still won't tell us how she paid for the Porsche." Ghastly said, shaking his head, as they all walked toward another room. Ghastly's office. Chairs were there, and everyone took one.

"Right. Down to business." Skullduggery said. Valkyrie wanted to sit next to him, but he was sitting right next to Sophia, and Valkyrie would rather be far from Skullduggery than close to Sophia, so she took the seat next to Ghastly.

"Vince is planning on cutting the Magic binding spells to let prisoners all over the world let out. London first, to get to Maurice." Skullduggery said, and Ravel looked at them for a while, looked at Sophia, (who had turned completely serious again).

Valkyrie was once again left alone with Sophia, who was lazily draped around the chair like her form was molded to it. She was casual one minute, then hyper the next, dark and cold a few minutes later, serious after that, then back to happily crazy, dark humor, blank faced. Seriously, it's like the girl felt every emotion in the space for half an hour. The silence again. Sophia never seemed to notice an awkward silence. She was admiring her revolvers, following the vine patterns printed in the hilt with her pinky finger. Valkyrie twisted in her seat for a few minutes, wondering why Skullduggery had left without, one, telling her where he was going, and two, had not taken her with him. _Maybe he wants me to talk to her. _Valkyrie was, admitting and unfortunately curious as to who Sophia exactly was.

"So, how do you pay for the car?" Valkyrie asked, trying. Sophia tilted her head at Valkyrie, a Skullduggery movement, then pouted, Tanith movement, and looked her up and down, Sophia movement. She was once again wondering whether or not to tell Valkyrie.

Sophia was playing with her mind. She knew it. Valkyrie was just curious to know how close Sophia and Skull actually were. _Alright. Here's a teaser for you. _

"I'm a bit of a hit man."

"What!?"

"Yeah."

"Bit of a hit man?"

"Ok, I was lying. I am a really good and famous hit-woman."

If Skullduggery had ear drums, they would have exploded when he walked back into Ghastly's office.

"Oh dear." He muttered, as he saw Valkyrie standing and yelling at Sophia.

"How could you?! What kind of a person does that!?" she screamed. Sophia was casual as ever as her arms were draped over the back of the chair, and she said,

"I am a person. I do it." Valkyrie turned and stared at Skullduggery.

"Do you know what she does?" she yelled.

"I am not inclined to the knowledge of that, no." he said.

"She's a hit-man!"

"Hit woman to be exact." Sophia added easily, smiling as Valkyrie glared at her. Valkyrie turned back to Skullduggery, who had been silent.

"Well!?" Valkyrie yelled. There was another pause, then Skullduggery started to chuckle. Then he started to laugh. A really loud, good hearted laugh. Valkyrie's face dropped. Then she just shook her head. "Seriously? You're laughing?"  
After Skullduggery was satisfied with his laughter, he gave a sigh and said,

"I am just not even remotely surprised. I thought her job was a lot worse than a Hit woman to be honest."

"What could be worse than a hit man."

"Hit woman."

"Whatever."

"She could be our enemy."

"I was for a bit," Sophia said, tilting her head and pouting with memory. "You didn't know obviously. I've killed a lot of people you wanted in gaol. Sorry for that."

"There you go." Skullduggery said, sitting in the chair next to Sophia.


	4. Chapter 4 Seriously?

Hey guys! this chapter is really short, and i do not own any of the skullduggery characters that are from the books. I also want to ask why some people hate Sophia. I'm not mad or anything, just curious at what Sophia does or says that makes that opinion. that would be really cool to find out thanks!

* * *

Ghastly entered a room that had air heavy with loathing, and saw Valkyrie sitting in the corner of the room, almost seething with anger. Sophia looked smug, and Skullduggery was completely unaware of it all, (and if he was, you couldn't see it anyway). Behind Ghastly were the twins, and they all entered the room.

"Hey Sophia." One said.

"Hey Skullduggery." The other said. Sophia and Skullduggery nodded.

"Ein, Zwei," Ghastly said, "This is Valkyrie Cain." He indicated to the dark haired, dark eyed, dark mood girl in the corner of the room. She tried a smile, but it turned out to be more of a crooked sneer. She couldn't think about them after she had just discovered Sophia's job description. They waved nicely.

They were young looking, barely adults. Identical naturally, dark brown hair, both had one blue eye and one green. It was very distinguishable, even when you weren't close to them. They both wore black rimmed, rectangle glasses. They were good-looking. Sophia smiled at them kindly as they sat down. She remembered working with them once, a long time ago. They were just as good at using Symbols as China, Sophia knew it.

"Boys," Skullduggery said, and they turned their attention to them, "You've been working in the sanctuary doing work on experimental symbols and teaching other to use them, as I understand." They both nodded.

"It's a great job. It makes us feel like we're useful to the world." Said one.

"It makes us feel like we belong somewhere." The other said.

"Well you're about to get a whole lot more useful." Sophia said.

Valkyrie glared at Sophia, not for the last time. It seems Sophia was already taking over Valkyrie's job and position. Although, Sophia seemed to know them from the past.

"We need you to reinforce the prisons' Magic Bonds symbols, even if it means using new experimental symbols." Valkyrie said, standing. She was sick of being outdone by Sophia. She would prove that she was better, she would give Sophia a _reason _to know that she wasn't better than Valkyrie.

"London first." Sophia said. She didn't seem to be noticing how Valkyrie was trying to assert her position as detective.

"London. Wait, that's where Maurice is, isn't it?" asked one of the twins.

"Yeah. Is this a coincidence Sophia, because last we heard was that you were dead or missing." Said the other.

"And all of a sudden you're just showing up."

"And telling us to reinforce the jail Maurice is in."

"And that you are pretending you're not afraid."

"And that you actually are." They finished. Valkyrie bit back a laugh. What was so scary about a prisoner that would scare Sophia? _Together they would have the combined power to destroy the city. _Oh. Ghastly had said that. Ok, obviously there was a reason to be afraid. But Valkyrie had destroyed Gods and such. She could deal with this. She looked at Sophia, who seemed to smile, but it was evil. The glare was cold as ice.

"If you want to survive walking down this corridor, then keep your mouth shut tight." She said, and again, Valkyrie just wanted to hide. It hadn't even been said to her specifically, but it was telling her not to meddle with this.

"Yeah, she's a hit woman." Valkyrie said, and the twins laughed. Ghastly just smiled and shook his head.

"Why is it I saw that coming?" he said.

"And why is it I'm the only one who finds that evil!?" Valkyrie screamed.

"Valkyrie, calm down. Sit." Skullduggery said. She did.

"Now, back to topic. Will you do it? Will you help us?" Ghastly asked the twins. They looked at each other for a moment, then looked back at Ghastly, squinting.

"What do we get out of it?" they asked together.

"You do realize I was asking nicely to be nice. You have no choice in the matter. You either do it by will, or you get forced to." Ghastly said.

"What he means is, you'll get a raise, better house, and as much time and equipment you want to continue your experiments and teachings." Skullduggery said, and they seemed satisfied. Ghastly didn't.


	5. Chapter 5 Hunched and mad

Val had her shoulders hunched and her face was a scowl the whole way to Skullduggery's car. She looked out the corner of her eye and saw Sophia bounding with energy towards the fancy car. Unpredictable bitch. The twins were being transported to all the prisons in the world via Fletcher, who had reluctantly turned up, and only after Sophia had said a few smooth words through the phone. Sophia hadn't flirted, but she just had the comfortableness of being able to talk to an attractive guy _without _flirting, a rare gift in Valkyrie's opinion. Everything about Sophia just said 'bitch'. The way she stood, casually but strong, a face that didn't look mad when she was bored or uninterested, and a charming way to get on everyone's good side in a few minutes of meeting them, apart from Valkyrie's.

"You're jealous." Valkyries spun her head so hard she thought she might get whiplash. Skullduggery had his head tilted, one hand on the steering wheel, the other sitting casually on his bone-skinny leg.

"I am not." Valkyrie shot.

"Yes, you are. I am a detective Valkyrie, the best you'll ever meet, and I can see you are jealous." Valkyrie sighed.

"I am so not jealous."

"Well…"

"Shut up and drive." Valkyrie said grumpily, leaning on the window and staring out it. She was not jealous, it was just the way that Sophia treated Valkyrie was a child. Even though technically Valkyrie was compared to Sophia. Hell, _Tanith _was a child compared to Sophia. But that wasn't an excuse…

"Where are we going anyway?" Valkyrie asked, distracting herself from her own mind.

"You weren't listening?" Skullduggery asked, referring to the half an hour conversation that they all had at the sanctuary about what to do next.

"Do you think I would be listening while I'm in this state?"

"Well yes, it's kind of your job."

"Not the point. Fill me in now." Skullduggery sighed.

"We're heading to a place Sophia might think some of Vince's 'buddies' might be hiding out, awaiting orders from Vince. A shutdown workshop on the edge of Dublin. We'll be there in a few hours, so you might want to get some rest. The last time Sophia warned me of something, we got into a pretty messy fight. Resulting in a war."

"Seriously, what is the history between you guys?"

"Again, Valkyrie, I'm not sure of you should be asking me."

"Why not?!"

"Because it really hurts to talk about it." Valkyrie's eyes widened for a minute, then she turned to the window.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"You didn't know. It's alright. Just stop asking me about it. Ask her." Valkyrie fell silent and followed Skullduggery's advice, and fell asleep.

Sophia turned down her music the closer they got to Dublin. Still driving with one hand she texted Skullduggery.  
_Oi, Skull. Gotta pull over in a minute to a safe house of mine. Follow me. _She threw her phone into her trench coat and kept watching the road as she drove. She hoped the twins would get all the prisons done in a matter of a day. Sophia hadn't got much word on exactly the date when Vince would hatch his plan, but she knew it would be within the month, before Maurice's birthday_. As an early birthday present. You were always so loving to your wife Vince. _Sophia thought with an evil sneer to herself. She couldn't wait to break their plan. It would be fun to watch. It was already good, with Valkyrie getting mad and all. She was getting pretty pissed at Sophia. Especially when Sophia was getting along so well with Fletcher.

"Oi, you read Batwoman Elegy?"

"Heck yes, it was amazing!"

"Yeah, but Marvel is so better."

"What!? Hell no, DC kicks ass!" had been only one of intriguing conversations Fletcher and Sophia had had when he'd turned up. They'd immediately become friends. High-fiving when their opinion on _The Cabin in the Woods _was just about the same. He was a great guy. Sophia couldn't get why Valkyrie would break up with him. Sophia just shook her head, and saw the turn off ahead. Pulling into it, she saw the Bentley follow her in. they were in the middle of the forest, but a narrow driveway poked onto the road.

A canopy above blocked out most of the light, and it felt earie to Valkyrie. And she'd been in some pretty freaky places. A small house sat among the trees. A dog sat out the front, a ruddy brown thing that looked like a kelpie cross German shepherd. It raised its head, inspected the Porsche, and wagged its tail a few times, then looked at the Bentley, and growled.

"Umm, Skullduggery." Valkyrie sat, scared. She'd only just woken up from her small nap after an hour. The dog had stood, head down and fur bristled. It looked a lot bigger when Valkyrie's brain was suddenly awake. Sophia pulled up and Valkyrie watched her get out and smile at the dog, then walk into the house. Skullduggery pulled up his car next to the Porsche, then got out without hesitation. Valkyrie hurriedly got out and stood behind him. The dog charged them, snarling in an almost silent way. Valkyrie screamed. She had closed her eyes and turned her face away, and waited. Nothing happened. She turned and saw the dog wrestling on the ground with Skullduggery. Getting her senses together, she kicked out, and got the dog under the chin. It whined and backed off, tail between its legs and ears flat, eyes scared. What the..?

"Valkyrie, why did you do that?" Skullduggery said, standing and dusting himself off. Valkyrie looked from him to the dog.

"What's going on?" Sophia appeared at the door, and the dog immediately crawl to her on its belly, glancing at Valkyrie in a scared way. Sophia knelt down and saw the blood on the bottom of the dog's jaw. "What the hell did you do to my dog?!" Sophia yelled, cuddling the dog as if it were a child. Valkyrie tilted her head. She'd never seen those before. Valkyrie had only just noticed the light lines of scars crisscrossed in weird directions around Sophia's neck. But what made… "Well!?"

"It was trying to eat Skullduggery as if he still had flesh!" Valkyrie returned, hot with embarrassment and anger.  
Valkyrie, calm down. I was play fighting. This is Custos, Sophia's lifelong dog. Which I'm amazed at by the way." Skullduggery said, turning to Sophia.

"But the dog looks like two years old!" Valkyrie said, almost yelling. Sophia smiled, patting Custos.

"Pulling a few strings, this dog is bonded to me. That means my magic and longevity as well." Sophia stood and went back inside, the dog following, along with Skullduggery and Valkyrie.

"So why did it charge us?" Valkyrie asked.

"Because that's his job, but I made it clear that you guys were friends. I let/made him charge just to see what you would do. I didn't think you'd scream, and I certainly didn't realize you'd attack him _after _it was made clear he was only playing with Skull."

"It didn't look like playing." Valkyrie grumbled to herself, realizing with hot cheeks that Skullduggery had been laughing while he was in the dirt with Custos. Well so much for being good at Observing.

"Wait here." Sophia ran outside for a few moments. They heard the Porsche start up, move, then was cut off again. Another car was started up, one with a less pleasant sounding engine. That soon was cut off, before Sophia ran back inside.

"Alright, let's go." She said, a huge grin on her face. Valkyrie's face dropped when she saw it. A car, that once was probably silver, was none other, than a bomb car. Chipped paint, dented, and dirty. Well, it actually wasn't that bad, but compared to the Porsche or the Bentley, it was a bomb car. A bush basher, a lemon. Simply a car that wouldn't be stared at when going through the streets of Dublin.

"See! Why don't we have cover cars like that?" Valkyrie said, pointing at the casual car.

"Because we're a lot classier than that." Skullduggery stated.

"I'm yet to complete the look." Sophia said with a huge grin, and winked. Custos leaped into the car via an open back window, then suck his head out. Valkyrie frowned.

"we're taking the dog?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Skullduggery laughed so hard it made Valkyrie jump. Sophia was cracking up as well.

"I remember asking that same questions three hundred and fifty two years ago." Skullduggery said after he'd composed himself.

"What happened?" Valkyrie asked in a blank voice, face unimpressed.

"I got punched square in the nose." He said, walking to the Bentley. Valkyrie didn't even bother, just slumped in the Bentley next to him.

_It was dark. Typical. Vince was too used to living in these damp places that he forgot what the polite place to meet looked like. Sult straitened his suit jacket for the hundredth time, then looked around for the a hundredth time, checked his watch for the fiftieth time, then sighed for the a hundred and twenty eight time. He smiled broadly when the dank area was freshened for a second as the hidden door moved aside, the stone grumbling as it moved. The freshness was replaced with a foul feeling as Vince entered the room. Almost bald, just with strands hanging on behind his head and ears, but with a beard as full and shaggy as poodle wool, he sat down with a bored humpf as he sat. Looking up at where Sult stood awkwardly, he smiled maliciously.  
_

_"You're hear for the Americans." A statement, voice so gravelly it was hard to decipher it.  
_

_"Indeed sir. I would like to ask how the job is going." Sult said.  
_

_"We're on it. But I never got the chance to ask why you're leader is paying us to do this." Vince said, pulling a bottle of vodka from under the chair he was sitting on.  
_

_"I didn't think you would need to know." Sult tried.  
_

_"Well I do!" Vince said, Ice glare piercing Sult's soul, making the smaller man clench his jaw in fright, like a rabbit caught in headlights. "Tell me, why is me and me crew doing this."  
_

_"Well, the prisons not only need an upgrade, but it would cause a lot of distress among the Ireland Sanctuary, having the worst criminals in the world locked up there. But you want to know why we want Sophia Colour dead, Don't you?"  
_

_"I already know that one, but I do need clarification. It's to piss off Skull, isn't it? Because you want to give one last shot at letting Ireland beg for the worlds help. And that's the one way to do it." Sult smiled and nodded.  
_

_"Yes, and we..."  
_

_"It won't work."  
_

_"Excuse me?"  
_

_"It won't work. Sophia Colour is too smart for that, but even if we do succeed, even if we do get the chance, and manage t kill her, Ireland won't be begging for help." Vince said with a smile that cracked his wrinkled face.  
_

_"Oh yes, and why is that?"  
_

_"Because the entire world is going to have to beg for help, if you piss that skeleton enough."  
_

_"But you still are doing this for us."  
_

_"The money is good."  
_

_"Good enough to kill your own daughter?" Vince laughed.  
_

_"Already tried once. She lived, and that's when Skull took her in. I never will forget his face when he saw those marks on her neck."_

* * *

_Is it good? I was pretty impressed with myself. also, did you guys trip out! how funny is it!  
_


	6. Chapter 6 Old friends

Valkyrie once again glared at the car in front of them. Still heavy metal pounded out the window, but the extra edition of the dog's head made the car look like it belonged to a hipster hippie. They were closing in on Dublin now, the sun setting. Valkyrie decided now, now she would prove, absolutely positively show this bitch, that Valkyrie _was _better than her. Purely better.

"Get ready. We may run into some trouble." Skullduggery said simply, and Valkyrie made sure her ring was on tight and her hair was done up. They passed through the streets, and Valkyrie felt even more uncomfortable being in a nice shiny car, compared to their companion, who was as inconspicuous as anything. The street lamps were lit, and streamed light across the streets, where people walked and laughed. The night timers were out. Celebrators, heading to the pubs and movies, crazy and ready to drink. Skullduggery sent a text to Sophia.  
_Pull up outside the corner store. We'll park there and walk to the workshop from there. _A little beep came with the reply.  
_Kk. _Valkyrie couldn't tell, but if Skullduggery still had lips, he would have smiled.

A little while passed, when they were getting to the edge of the town part of Dublin, nearer to the residential area, when they pulled up in a secluded car park behind a corner store that had a fish and chips store. Valkyrie's stomach grumbled at the smell of battered fish and chips. Sophia crawled out of the front-seat window with ease. More like swung out. Handing onto the handle above the window, she lifted her legs and put them outside the door, so tall she could touch the ground from there. Custos leapt out after her, panting with pleasure.

"Is it just me, or is everything you do, you do to show off." Valkyrie said to Sophia in distaste.

"Sometimes. This time though, the door handle decided to be a stiff. Happens sometimes." Valkyrie looked at the open window on the bomb.

"Aren't you worried someone is going to steal…wait, what am I saying, who would want to steal that?" Valkyrie said, answering her own question.

"Yup, It's your car I'm worried about. Then again, knowing Skull, he'll have about fifty million alarms on that thing." Sophia said, strolling along the back of the corner store. A few doors sat here, for staff or maybe the toilets. One of them opened, and they were all about to keep walking, when they realized who it actually was.

Others fall to their knees in love, tears stinging their eyes and pleading for her to run away with her, her beauty was unmatched and her intelligence was beyond anything this world has ever seen, they would say. The effect was not the same, however for one Sophia Colour. China barely had the chance for her eyes to widen before her face was hit by a well-aimed and well trained fist.

Sophia got her stomach next with a good knee, and as China doubled up, she kneed her face, and when China tried flipping out of her way as she landed, Sophia jumped forward and swung her leg out as China landed, and tripped her up. China rolled, tried to get up, but Sophia copped her with a left and kicked her head down, grabbed China's left arm and twisted it behind her, pinning her to the ground, and keeping her left arm to the ground. China didn't have much time to think. She touched her tongue to the upper half of her mouth, and the sigil glowed. Spikes made of light and energy poked up all over her body. Sophia growled as one went through her lower arm, and she released China. China rolled out of the way, and blocked Sophia's elbow hit just in time.

"Well, this is entertaining." Valkyrie said, as she and Skullduggery watched the fight in amusement.

"Quite." Skullduggery answered. Custos had laid down and was watching with his tongue poking out. Even the dog found this fight good.

"She's bleeding really badly." Valkyrie said, referring to the deep gash in Sophia's arm from the sigil spikes. Valkyrie couldn't help but smile about it.

"She'll heal it after she's finished dealing with China." Skullduggery said.

"She'll never win against China." Valkyrie said, laughing slightly.

"Yes she will." Skullduggery said with a nod. Valkyrie looked at him, disbelieving.

"No, she won't."

"yes, she will."

"Nope."

"yes."

"No way."

"yes way."

"How do you know?"

"because she's done it before.

_Screw it, screw it, screw it, screw it…_China could think of little else as she was locked in a battle with her worst nightmare. A worthy component. Sophia hadn't been seen around here for over a bloody century. China usually tried to keep her composure, keep her swearing, even mentally, at a minimum. It was degrading to be swearing, even in her mind. She'd gotten her entire outfit covered in blood, from Sophia's stupid stubbornness. That attitude, that strength, that will. It was the worst thing to come up against, especially because of her loyalty. A dog. A mongrel dog none the less. A mongrel, scruffy, loyal dog that had followed Skullduggery around forever. Even when she'd spilt, it was clear she'd been doing her research and following up with what Skullduggery had been doing. Sophia had been China's competition for information. China had been useless to Skullduggery when Sophia had been around. Didn't matter now. Skullduggery never came to her now. Never came for info. Maybe that's why Sophia was back. Because he actually, did need her. China had tried to run away from this fight. Had tried to scramble to safety, but every time she turned to run, she was either ripped back or intercepted. The rage in the eyes of this girl was terrifying. China had come up against her time and time again when Sophia had still been hanging with Skullduggery, and every time, they'd fought, and every time, they'd had to back down from exhaustion, exhaustion and pain, often having broken bones. Except for one time, when Sophia had come up on top. Usually China's charm and beauty made others fall before her in love. It had even worked on Valkyrie, but the first time China had met Sophia, three hundred years ago or so, Sophia had immediately hated her. Skullduggery had been there, and China had been asking him if he needed any help, and Sophia had been glaring. At her. Glaring at _her! _China sorrows, the most beautiful woman alive, and this little wretch had been glaring at her!

"What's wrong, cat got your tongue?" China had asked her smugly. That's when Sophia had launched. After the fight, after they'd had to separate, panting and shivering with exhaustion, China had discovered who this girl was the offspring of. Then she had understood. That kind of genetics couldn't be lost easily. So right now, after China had recently stopped training and kept her body in amazing shape, she was being beaten quite easily. She was losing more and more, getting tired faster, her breath's now labored, her…everything...hurting. So when Sophia got the opening she wanted and did a huge kick to China's stomach, China decided that it was just not worth the fight. She let herself fall to the ground, and felt herself thud as she hit it. Dirt sprayed up, and China's vision was fuzzy. Her head buzzed and all sounds were muffled.  
"I thought you were dead." China whispered to the sky, her voice croaky. There was a deep muffle, before everything cleared once more and the pain, the  
sound, sight, everything became sharp. The cold of the night as it closed in bit at her skin. She realized her jacket had been ripped off in the fight. Sophia stood over her with anger, and satisfaction, taking to turns to flash in her eyes.

"No, China, I'm not. But I'm sure I'll see you once more." 

* * *

sooooo? was it good? This chapter was mainly so I could get Sophia to beat someone up because I was bored. I've got exams on this point, so I probably won't be able to write any chapters for _any _of my stories for more than a month. I am sorry. bye bye now.


	7. Chapter 7 Hat's flying off

_Here ya go guys. the next chapter. had some fun writing this. All those Sophia haters out there, Prepare to hater her a little more. Mwahahahaha. I love to hear you readers suffer the pain of Sophia's existence. Now, Suffer some MORE!_

* * *

Turning back to the others, Sophia smiled with satisfaction and pride. She was looking at Skulduggery like a child awaiting praise, and it made Valkyrie sick. She just managed to stop herself from looking totally confused when Skulduggery nodded approval to Sophia.

"We were in a hurry, were we not?" Skulduggery said, and Sophia smiled with a cocked nod.

"Yeah, sorry. But you know me. Just needed an excuse to hit something."

"I'm well aware. You quite finished yet?"

"Yup, let's head."  
They stepped over the squirming China and continued on in the night. They stayed in the shadows, and walked silently.

"So why did you-," Valkyrie started, but quickly got two hissed hushes at her. She openly glowered, although Sophia wasn't looking at her, and even if she was, the stupid daughter of a bastard with serious anger management issues probably wouldn't have seen it in the dark anyway. Soon, Sophia was leading them, both revolvers out and was crouched, moving like a cat, with Custos pacing slowly next to her, as silent as the others. At a line of small olive trees, Sophia laid on her belly, so Skulduggery, Custos and Valkyrie did the same. Ahead of them was the old Warehouse. There was no movement in the dark at first, the street lights around it long since burned out. They waited patiently and Valkyrie barely breathed. Then a humanoid shadow paced slowly and cautiously round the corner of the abandoned building. Well, it appeared abandoned. Valkyrie looked up to the roof, and there was another shadow moving around above. Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery but he nodded before she could whisper anything. Her jaw clenched as she noticed Sophia was gone, but Custos remained. Skulduggery was watching the Warehouse carefully. Valkyrie knew _exactly _where Sophia was. She reluctantly watched as the shadow on the roof was silently taken out first, then the one on the ground. Custos suddenly leaped from where he was and ran towards the warehouse. Valkyrie was about to follow, but Skulduggery put his gloves fingers on her arm. She snatched her arm away, but didn't emerge from where they laid. She watched with horror as another guard came around the corner, but Custos made quick and surprisingly silent work of him. Then Skulduggery stood and strolled calmly towards the warehouse doors, putting his revolver away. Valkyrie didn't even realize that he'd gotten it out. She followed with a dark expression, hands in the pockets of her coat and shoulders hunched. She avoided walking near any of them. She was mad at them. She was mad at Sophia, at Skulduggery, hell, she even glared at the dog, who pulled its lips back in a silent snarl. Sophia was perched on the sill of a long ago shattered window high above the ground. Skulduggery flew up to the window and landed just as gracefully as usual. Now there was no room for Valkyrie to land. Sophia was scanning the area around as Skulduggery disappeared into the darkness of the warehouse. Now Valkyrie had room, so she booted herself with air and landed reluctantly next to Sophia, who seemed not to notice. That was until Valkyrie's boot slipped on the mossy wood of the sill, and would have plummeted noisily through the rotting boards (that made a walking platform crisscrossing above the ground), had Sophia not grabbed her coat and arm in time. Sophia pulled Valkyrie back to a balancing position and once Valkyrie was secure, Sophia looked at her with annoyed disgust, and Valkyrie was sure Sophia would be able to feel the heat coming from her face in embarrassment. Sophia looked around one more time before she turned and looked back inside. Below them, through the holes and cracks of the boards, they saw Skulduggery turning slowly, scanning the warehouse. It unnerved all of them that there was no-one here. Sophia looked up, at the beams parallel to the roof. Scarily like a lemur, she leaped with strong legs, and landed lightly and silently on one. She crawled along it on all fours, and Valkyrie shivered, creeped out. She looked out the window, seeing Custos pacing outside the huge doors, ears pricked and no doubt teeth prepared. Valkyrie decided she'd make her own mark. She put one booted foot on the board walk, but it creaked when she gave weight, so she retreated her foot. Instead, she predicted how far it was to the ground, which was a fair way. The roof of the warehouse was probably fifteen meters off the ground, when a roof of a one storey house would be a little over five meters. Valkyrie saw the opening in the boards where she could simply drop silently to the ground. She leaped, proudly judging right, and she descended straight through the opening. But she was falling faster than predicted. Panicked she threw her hands below her legs, and the air particles connected, but fast and noisily. There was a loud _Whoosh _as she landed, blowing Skulduggery's hat away.

Sophia sighed under her breath as she looked behind and down at Val, as the girl blew Skull's hat away. She'd never predicted that her annoying Valkyrie would cause the girl to become this stupid. Val obviously wasn't like this _all _the time, otherwise Skull would have rejected her easily. The warehouse they were in was huge, and the darkness hid the far end of it. It sat on the water in the old industrial area of Dublin city. It had recently been bought, by known magical peoples, who seemingly followed the Religion of the Faceless Ones. Sophia had managed to get one of their little servants to tell her whether it was being used as a hideout, and he'd cried and stuttered and begged, all the while giving her the answers she'd needed. She'd obviously killed him, no pity needed. He had been annoying. Now here she was, knowing that they were being watched. She didn't know how, but somehow they'd known that she'd been here the whole time, otherwise there would have been voices, tracks, evidence. They could hide all that physical stuff, but they could never hide the scent. The scent of other people, candles, fresh metal and cheap deodorant. Skull wouldn't pick that up, and neither would Val, but they weren't used to that. Weren't used to using every single scent they possessed. Skulduggery hadn't moved. Hadn't even flinched to get his hat. Neither had Val, but was still looking guilty from her noisy entry. Skull just stared at the darkness, then slowly, ever so slowly, raised his revolver and steadily held it in front of him. Something had been wrong the whole time. And Sophia was right. Why was she always so _right? _The deep laugh rumbled through the warehouse. Growing louder and closer. Sophia grumbled, and turned back, going along the beam until she was right above Skull's hat, where it sat lonely and dirty. Sophia swung down and picked it up as she landed. Walking towards Skull, (who was still pointing his gun at the source of the laugh) Sophia dusted off the hat.

"A little to the left Skull," Sophia said, knowing Skulduggery didn't have just as precise hearing as she did. He moved his gun ever so slightly to the left. Sophia nodded. "That's it. Here, it was getting so sad looking I thought it might cry," Sophia said as she positioned the hat on his skull. She made a few adjustments before she got it perfect, then nodded at her work. She then turned just in time to see the man in black robes step out of the shadows into the little light there was.

After Valkyrie stopped glaring at Sophia perfecting the position of Skulduggery's hat, she turned and saw the strange looking man with black robes. He'd stopped laughing, and now was just smiling at them with a malicious grin.

"Look who it is. Pythios Vanquish." Sophia said with a hint of sarcastic excitement.

"Greeting Dear Sophia! You're looking well. And you two," The man named Pythios opened his arms wide as if actually welcoming them, "Mr. Pleasant, and Miss Valkyrie Cain, I have never personally met either of you, but your deeds are legendary." Mr. Vanquish had eyes that unnerved Valkyrie. She soon realised it was because he had slits for pupils.

"I imagine our deeds are not too you're liking." Skulduggery said, not lowering his gun. Pythios laughed, before turning a seriously dangerous glare upon them.

"Not so much. You've killed some of my Gods, some of the best leaders of our religion, and you expect me to be grateful?"

"Actually, we didn't expect that on any accounts." Skulduggery said.

"Well frankly they should be a _little _grateful," Sophia said, "I mean, you _did _save the world from being destroyed."

"Um, which was mainly me, just to point it out." Valkyrie said.

"Shut up." Pythios suddenly spat.

"Yeah, shut up." Sophia said mockingly.

"Bitch." Valkyrie openly hissed.

"Says you."

"Fight me."

"Gladly."

"You know you'd lose."

"You just saw me beat China's ass. You really wanna fight me?"

"I'm not China."

"Yeah, you're Irish." Skulduggery stifled a laugh and Pythios snickered, but it took Val a while for the joke to sink, before she growled and spat,

"I've killed Gods."

"I've killed god killers."

"I'll kill you." Valkyrie whispered.

"I'd like to see you try." Sophia sneered back.

Pythios, composing himself of enjoying the tall girl's joke, he looked at Mr. Pleasant.

"Are they always like this?" he asked, as the girls continued.

"Not as of yet, but I was expecting it soon enough." Both of them watched the argument for a time before it was getting ridiculous. The Dark eyed girl's insults were getting worse and she was even starting to stumble on them, while the other had kept her pace and the comebacks were always just as good as the last, if not better. Suddenly, halfway through one of the Dark haired girl's bad insults, the Tall one pulled a gun and pointed it at the dark haired girl's head, who immediately stopped talking. Pythios took a step back, and even the Skeleton flinched.

"Sophia, what are you doing!?" Skull said, surprisingly shocked and had lost his composure, but Sophia ignored him, and moved her arm up higher and shot the man in robes who was in half-leap from the boards. The dead man fell in a heap of black robes as blood seeped across the dirty concrete floor. All of a sudden there was gunfire, elements being thrown and curses coming from everyone, as men and women in black robes that leapt from the darkness. Valkyrie was still in shock from thinking she was about to be shot by a hit woman, but managed to avoid an attack from one of the robed people. She threw a fireball at two approaching women. She got one, who screamed and fell, but the other ducked and ran at her. Valkyrie didn't have enough room to shoot again, so the woman crashed into her, but grabbed Valkyrie by the neck before she fell. Strangling and lifting at the same time, the woman sneered up at Valkyrie. Valkyrie was about to use her ring, but somebody smashed into the woman's side. Valkyrie dropped to the ground, quickly trying to clear her head. She looked to her right to see Sophia and the woman tumbling and wrestling. Sophia eventually got her knee in the woman neck, and knelt on her chest, pinning her down, before…Valkyrie wasn't exactly sure what Sophia had done, but the woman was good and dead. She wasn't ripped apart, there was only a little blood trickling from the woman's nose and ears. Sophia turned and raced back into the main fight, where Skulduggery had already dropped his gun and was using all the elemental power he could possess to keep the dozens of Servants at bay. Custos suddenly burst through the doors, but he was no longer up to Sophia's waist. It was half-way to the roof! Custos had grown into some gigantic monster of mayhem, taking half-a dozen of the servants in his jaws at a time. Valkyrie shook her head, not bothering to try and figure it out, and rolled away just in time, before a huge axe came down. It stuck in the ground for only a short while, before it was wrenched out again. Valkyrie only stared. The man was _Tiny! _How on earth could a man like that wield that monstrous weapon? The man screamed a battle cry before coming at her again, but she simply sidestepped and sent him flying after snapping her palms open. She kicked another woman in the stomach and tripped up a lanky guy with outrageously coloured eyes. He must have been wearing contacts. She tried not to notice how many Sophia was taking out at a time.

Sophia slid between the legs of a servant, then snapped her palm and he went flying straight forwards, right into Custos jaws, where several others had met their fate. She tripped two and shot another as she landed a back-flip that had kicked two in the face and she punched another unconscious as she rolled to a stand. Then she shot another guy. One held a gun to her head, but she ducked and got hold of his arm, making him shoot two of his own before she flipped him over her back and snapping his wrist. She then shot him in the head to shut up his screams. Another came at her with a sword which she leaped over as he swung it, and her boot met his shoulder, making him drop the sword. Then she trapped his head in her knees as she fell again, and took him with her. She violently twisted, and there was a resounding *crack* as she broke his neck and he died painlessly. The sound of fighting had slightly lessened behind her, so she turned and looked at the scene. Her jaw dropped and she couldn't help yell,

"Come on! Are you serious? That's just fucked up, man." For before her, was Pythios Vanquish, in the form of a massive snake.


End file.
